ChE Tulsa University

ChE 6483 Chemical Engineering Plant Design
Required course for ChE program

Catalog Description:   Design of chemical and petrochemical plants and process equipment.  Evaluation of the economic, safety, health, and environmental aspects of a proposed project.  Use of spreadsheets and state-of-the-art process simulators.  Oral and written reports.  Prerequisites: ChE 4063, ChE 4104.

Recent Textbook:   Peters, Timmerhaus, and West,  “Plant Design and Economics for Chemical Engineers”, 5th ed., McGraw-Hill, 2003

Recent References:   Perry’s ChE Handbook, 7th ed., McGraw-Hill; Walas, “Chemical Process Equipment – Selection and Design”, Butterworths, 1988;  Ulrich and Vasudevan, Chemical Engineering Process Design and Economics, 2nd ed. 2004; HYSYS manual.

Set of Course Goals/Objectives:   (1) To show students how to apply prior knowledge to devise, design, and evaluate the feasibility of  proposed engineering ventures; (2) To develop the skills of working productively and harmoniously in groups; (3) To develop oral and written communication skills; (4) To learn to use process simulation software when advantageous.

Prerequisites by Topic:   senior standing in ChE: must have had stoichiometry, basic and ChE thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, mass transfer, reactor design, and process component design. 

Major Topics Covered in the Course:   Teams of 3 or 4 students solve two, recent AIChE National Student Design Competition problems.  Group members take turns at being group leader.  The coordinators lead the class through the first problem, dividing the problem into feasibility studies, material balances, heat balances, equipment sizing, economic evaluation, and report preparation.  The instructors “keep” all groups at approximately the same pace by providing detailed help when required.  In the second problem, the groups are “on their own,” and each group works on a recent AIChE National Student Design Competition problem and progress at their own capabilities.  During the second problem, the groups continue to make weekly written progress reports.  For each second design problem, the responsible group prepares a final report and also makes a final oral presentation during finals week. As an alternative to the second design problem, students can and do elect to take the current AIChE National Design Competition under contest conditions. In addition to the design report, the group presents their design to the entire class.

Class/Laboratory Schedule:  three 50-minute lectures per week for 14 weeks

Professional Component:  Three hours of engineering science and design

Relationship to Program Outcomes: 

• Outcome a:  The course requires solution of two design projects that inherently involve applying mathematics, science and engineering. The design projects build on the students entire prior course work.  Whenever necessary, the theoretical basis for sizing equipment is reviewed.
• Outcome b:  The students must find and interpret the data used in their designs.  Checking the reliability and/or uncertainty of data is emphasized.
• Outcome c:  The design projects inherently require all these outcomes.
• Outcome d:  The design projects are done in teams.  Amicable teamwork is a necessity.  All group members take turns in being group leader.
• Outcome e:  Successful engineering design requires these skills. .
• Outcome f:  The majority of the class has taken and passed the F.E. exam. They are starting to realize the professional and ethical responsibilities that will soon be theirs.  Designs include estimating emissions, and safety considerations.
• Outcome g:  Over half the instruction time is spent in getting the students to document their calculations and write the final report in accordance with the detailed AIChE Design competition guidelines.  Oral presentations are required for the second design problem.
• Outcome h:  The economic trade-offs and environmental impacts (e.g., noise pollution) of design are emphasized.  The design project often has an economic or environmental component.
• Outcome i:   The evolution of progressively superior solutions to a long term engineering task (e.g. gas compression) is emphasized to demonstrate that engineering is a dynamic field. 
• Outcome j:  Current events relating to the design projects are introduced whenever appropriate.  Emissions, health, and safety are considered throughout the course.   
• Outcome k:  Students are required to use computers to solve many problems throughout the course.  HYSYS, Word, and Excel are required.

Revised by: Francis. S. Manning, P.E. (June 9 2006)

Modified by:    Laura Ford